In August 2011, five months after Syria erupted into violence over government repression, President Obama declared that Bashar Assad should resign from office. Though Obama didn’t use the words “regime change,” he was effectively making that the goal of U.S. policy.

Sixteen months have passed since the president issued his statement. Over that period, the United States did very little to strengthen the relatively moderate, pro-Western Syrian rebels who are competing for arms and influence with extremist, anti-Western rebels tied to al-Qaeda. Instead, the Obama administration relied on the United Nations to broker a diplomatic solution. This strategy was always destined to fail, and it did, with Russia and China vetoing three separate Security Council resolutions. As a result, the situation in Syria is far worse and far more dangerous in December 2012 than it was in August 2011.

Consider the balance of power among different rebel factions. In late July, the New York Times reported that Islamic jihadists, including groups affiliated with al-Qaeda, were “taking a more prominent role and demanding a say in running the [Syrian] resistance.” More recently, in a front-page story published on December 9, the Times observed that a Qaeda-linked outfit known as the Nusra Front “has become one of the uprising’s most effective fighting forces,” with a growing stock of weapons and manpower. On December 11, the Obama administration formally listed the Nusra Front as a terrorist organization and sanctioned its leaders. This prompted thousands of angry Syrians near Damascus to stage a rally defending the group, at which demonstrators carried a sign proclaiming: “We are all Al-Nusra Front.”

It is one thing to argue that America has no business getting involved in a Syrian civil war where the possible outcomes range from bad to worse. It is quite another thing to announce U.S. support for regime change — as Obama did 16 months ago — and then do nothing serious to aid the Syrian opposition. When the president declared that Assad had to go, he put U.S. credibility on the line. If the Syrian dictator somehow manages to defeat the rebels and regain full power, it will be a colossal humiliation for the United States.

To be sure, the odds are increasingly slim that Assad will emerge victorious. But that also means Syria is entering the most dangerous phase of its civil war — the phase when a desperate dictatorship starts firing Scud missiles and taking steps to prepare its chemical weapons for possible deployment. If the Syrians either use those chemical weapons or transfer them to terrorists, they will be crossing the “red line” set by President Obama. Unfortunately, Obama’s red line may actually be encouraging Assad to commit other atrocities without fear of U.S. intervention. As Nadim Houry of Human Rights Watch recently told the Associated Press: “We hear a lot from people on the ground who say, ‘So we won’t be killed by chemical weapons, but killing us with a machine gun is OK?’”

At this point, the Western-friendly Syrian rebels are exasperated with Obama’s dithering and inaction. Syria has become a perfect storm of humanitarian disasters and frightful threats to regional stability. Ironically, writes John Hannah, a former national-security adviser to Vice President Cheney, “Virtually every risk the administration warned might be triggered by U.S. intervention has been made all-too-real in the absence of U.S. intervention.” While Obama has now recognized the Syrian Opposition Coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” this gesture falls into the category of too little, too late.

Obama’s failure in Syria is connected to his diplomatic failure in Iraq: Iranian planes have been flying over Iraqi airspace to supply Assad with weapons and personnel, including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranians know that Assad is their most critical Middle Eastern ally, and they know that America no longer has any military aircraft stationed in Iraq — so why not use Iraqi skies to help keep the Syrian regime in power?

“Of course, the reason America no longer has any military aircraft in Iraq is that President Obama failed to reach a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the Iraqi government.”

The Iraqis were demanding that to renegotiate the Bush/Maliki Status of Forces agreement, America agree to let them put our troops on trial in Islamic Courts. This would have been abominable! Anyone in favor of that can go straight to hell.

If we had left the Sunnis in power in Iraq you can be pretty sure they would not be letting the Shiite Iranians overfly their territory.

While Obama has now recognized the Syrian Opposition Coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” this gesture falls into the category of too little, too late.

No. It is too much, too early. We should learn something one of these days, like from Iraq and Afcrapistan, to stop this STUPID Islamic Nation Building. All we get is lost lives and limbs and hundreds of billions for nothing – for less than nothing – nothing but Bridges to Nowhere and more bowing and scraping to Islam and Muslims and Shariah. Even the dumbest dog normally has enough sense not to stick his head reapeatedly between fighting snakes, both of which have nothing but ill will toward him, once he has been bitten a couple of times.

Here is where the Pyromania-in-Chief has led the Mid East -http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/12/07/world-war-3s-place-markers-set-up-through-barack-hussein-obamas-mid-east-fires-addendum-to-northeast-intelligence-network-posits-a-direct-nexus-commentary-by-adina-kutnicki/…into a hell fire!!

Time for Johnny and Jane to Look and Learn. The scenario in the Middle East will do nicely for Obama and troops express HOPE to fundamentally Change the US and via proxy Israel the world.

Look at the constant smirk, yes smirk, on his and minions faces wherever, whenever. With guardians of the USA Congrss and Court pimping for Obama and his stars Hillary and Susan in his in our faces House of ill-repute.

Look at the customers for service of Obama’s House. The “intelligent, informed, best and brightest” from elite secret and exclusive brotherhoods in government, media, universities and Law who bow and kneel for audience before their Obama.

Then ask why the informed intelligent do not remember/know the progenitors of the policies, paranoid fantasies, payback and methods to best the ignorant, dumb, ill-informed Yanks successes and generally beneficial influence coined the term for their reflex followers, the worshippers “Useful Idiots”?

But it’s pretty silly to think that Western friendly rebels would win, since there aren’t exactly a lot of those in the Middle East. Turkey, Islamist by election. Ditto for Egypt after their uprising. Pretty much the same everywhere, in fact. So why are we there? Why do we keep spending all this money and our soldiers lives?

Why don’t we try fixing our own problems here at home before telling other people what to do?

Exactly. And let us not forget that the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation – aka Obama’s 57 states – is the largest voting block in the United Nations right now. And Obama IS the United Nations. I believe that his role is to divide us, make us weaker, destroy our currency and destroy our culture through endless illegal immigration. Well, it’s working. Now the best thing we can do is to point our fingers at him and start accusing him of it outright. We have little to lose as we have already lost almost everything – it will just be a little while before it becomes obvious to all. He wants to unseat leaders? He would do well to take care.

“Sixteen months have passed since the president issued his statement. Over that period, the United States did very little to strengthen the relatively moderate, pro-Western Syrian rebels who are competing for arms and influence with extremist, anti-Western rebels tied to al-Qaeda.”

“Relatively moderate, pro-Western Syrian rebels?” According to who? Where are all these “pro-Western” voices I keep hearing about in Syria? All I see are a bunch of insane radical Islamists who are wedded to Sharia Law as the answer to everything, including the destruction of Israel and the United States. Choosing between rebel groups in Syria is like choosing between the Nazis and the Communists. Who would you rather see in power?

Give me a break. If there WERE any “pro-Western” groups in Syria, they were really small and they certainly did not have the guns or the numbers to take over Syria, let alone run it if they won. You’re only hope would have been a full invasion by “somebody,” as in Iraq, and even then you would be looking at years of “boots on the ground” and occupation duty (as in Iraq and let’s not forget Afghanistan) to insure some form of representative government. Do notice that I didn’t say “democratic” government because that’s a pipe dream in that part of the world, as Libya, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, and Afghanistan are all showing right now after their revolutions and/or invasions by the United States.

No, Assad will probably be killed, just like Gaddafi, but he will be replaced by some radical Islamic theocratic regime, probably along the lines of Iran, if not Egypt (and that’s being kind). So unless you wanted to invade yet another worthless Middle-Eastern country and do what we did in Iraq, then Syria is on its own and is going to be just another failed radical Islamic state that hates the west and Israel and the United States.

The only real solution in that part of the world is say that we support Israel 100%, that we will help defend it militarily if need be, and that if any attempts are made to destroy it then all of the arab nations (as well as Iran) will suffer the consequences. THAT is the best you can hope for in that part of the world. Either that or start supporting dictators that are friendly to the west, like Mubarak was and the King of Jordan still is (for now). Other than that, support Israel to the fullest and stay home when it comes to all the other sand pits in the Middle East.

The only reaction one should ever take with a bully is to answer their action with 100x the threat. Only the threat of an extreme overreaction will make a bully step back. For example, cutting off all aid and all oil and gas contracts to the middle east EXCEPT Israel, to whom we will send triple the aid and triple the weapons and help to develop their newly discovered oil and gas reserves. Only problem is that we have a Quisling in the white house at the moment. He must go and we must figure out how to do it.

We also now know that one of Iran’s quid-pro-quos for supporting Assad was the acquisition of several batteries of SA-300 Russian anti-aircraft missiles. That most definitely changes the equation for the U.S. and Israel if they plan on attacking Iran.

From the start Obama has made it clear that he wants a one world order. Everything needs to go through the UN. Thus this is what we are left with, no leadership from the most powerful country in the world and chaos all over.

The resolve Obama demonstrated vis-à-vis Iran’s Green Party did not go unnoticed. Every action is evaluated. Every INaction is evaluated. Our adversaries are not stupid. About the only people who have NOT taken Obama’s measure are his supporters.

The Right to ‘penetrate nation-states’ borders’ is utterly horrifying. The Responsibility to Protect doctrine endangers every innocent on earth. A decent, innocent people can and are, easily targeted by power-hungry ruthless elites. This is what occurred in Libya.

US/NATO waged war for months for Al-Qaeda and other Muslim terrorists against Gaddafi and Libya. Gaddafi was fighting AGAINST Al Qaeda.

The US/NATO war empowered and enabled anti-Gaddafi Muslims to perpetrate satanic, horrifying atrocities and genocide of blacks. Blacks were safe under Gaddafi. So much for Obama being a black “brother”.

US/NATO did not lift a finger to help or rescue the terrified blacks. This is what the The Responsibility to Protect doctrine is in reality. A terrifying doctrine that targets innocents.

As written in Genesis 48:16 “ISRAEL” ONLY can be identified by producing the largest civil empire in history, which was done “ONLY” by England alone(i.e., “the sun never sets upon the English Empire”"…and “America,” their anglo-saxon brother had NOTHING LEFT to do but have it’s “WOMEN ALONE” put over it the “FORBIDDEN FOREIGNER” of Deuteronomy 17:15 & YES, Obama is the ONLY non-anglo-saxon EVER to rule over an Israelite tribe of their OWN ACCORD in 6,000 years! That’s a very LONG TIME folks! WAKE-UP: Next, comes the two-witnesses of Revelation, chapter 11 because Yahweh(YHWH) does NOTHING without FIRST warning his people through the prophets! PLEASE: Do yourself a favor and contact the “Eliyah” that must come first, also as written & “LEARN” ONLY about deductively PROVEN Spiritual truths as COMMANDED in 2 Peter 1:20! Again, just saying what’s written! Again, watch…

How much support did he and his countrymen offer American and British troops? Did they make any effort to build a society that would respect the rights of all people, or did they sit back and watch others take the risks and then go with the winner? We should have left Iraq in 2006. With its location and its resources, Iraq should be a rich, thriving country. Why isn’t it?
That we didn’t get a new SOFA is not necessarily Obama’s fault. That action by the Iraqi government was an indication that they don’t want us there. They wanted us out. We’re out. Now it’s time for them to be responsible. Don’t blame the US for leaving when you never really supported our presence in the first place.
As for Syria, we should never go in there. We’ve wasted enough resources trying to help the people of the Middle East. Our efforts are neither welcome nor appreciated. Those who want to be free will have to fight their own battles.
Add to that, we can’t afford it anymore.

Very few in the USA trust Obama and his adminstrtion either, and with good *reason.

The ones posting “good” about him and his decisions are those paid to do so to influence public opinion and try to silence, make fun of those who understand the laws here in the USA, and our type of government.

*Obama, Panetta, Dempsey, Holder, etc have committed TREASON under our laws when he/they “gave” authority over the USA to the UN. When they “gave” authority over the US Military to the UN.

Fast and Furious – forgot the press releases Obama did in March 2009 about it, Ogden as the talking head? Early April 2009 Holder gave a speech about Fast and Furious and his expansion plns for it at the Arms Trafficking Convention.
Benghazi where they watched the ambassador and the seals get murdered via streaming video from video drones there and ordered NO RESCUE attempts – not because they did not know what was going on as they were watching live with small delays – but because they wanted them dead.

18 USC § 2382 – Misprision of treason: Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States and having knowledge of the commission of any treason against them, conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the President or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor or to some judge or justice of a particular State, is guilty of misprision of treason and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than seven years, or both.

This means that Boehner committed TREASON when he received the letter from Obama stating that Obama supported and gave authority OVER the USA to the UN and he did not order his arrest. The senate (all that was there) committed TREASON when they ignored and did not order the arrest of Dempsey and Panetta when they declared in front of them that the supported the UN, NOT the USA, and that the UN has authority over the USA, and has authority over the US Military.

18 USC § 2383 – Rebellion or insurrection: Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
That would be “change” and using propaganda, lies, misinformation, and a **corporate media cartel.

**Almost 100% of the mainstream media is owned by seven companies: Disney, NewsCorp, TimeWarner, CBS, Viacom, NBCUniversal, and Sony. They control everything: movies, television, all the major newspapers and news, and even music record labels. ***Illegal here in the USA.

**When one company dominates an industry, it is a monopoly. When a handful of companies cooperatively dominate an industry, it is a “Cartel.” This is what we have with our mainstream media – an elite group that is cooperatively and covertly controlling everything that comes through our television, radio, newspaper, and theater.

***Supreme Court, Red Lion v. FCC: “It is the purpose of the First Amendment to preserve an uninhibited marketplace of ideas in which truth will ultimately prevail, rather than to countenance monopolization of that market, whether it be by the Government itself or a private licensee. It is the right of the public to receive suitable access to social, political, esthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences which is crucial here. That right may not constitutionally be abridged either by Congress or by the FCC.”

18 USC § 2384 – Seditious conspiracy: If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof… assassination of any officer of any such government; or

Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or

Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof…

Obama, Panetta, Dempsey – when they “gave” authority to the UN over the USA (a power NO ONE in our government has).
Fast and Furious,
Benghazi, etc.
UN & NATO with the assistance of this administration, and the Bush administration, the Clinton(s) and his administration, the Bush 1 administration…

We need arrest and prosecutions. Also, since they no longer meet the requirements of the office they are currently occupying (keeping the legally binding Oath is a LEGAL REQUIREMENT – and can be charged criminally for not) we can replace all of them immediately.

I recomment that we do our ballots NOW, with all the previous candidates. All debate each other they are running against. We write in our choice, we hand count them here in the USA with American citizens watching and multiple videos ate each and EVERY count until a winner is decided. NO MACHINES, no foreign entity or countries involved.

Does it bother anyone else that at this time – according to Joel Skousen – there are more than 400,000 foreign troops in the U.S. right now (mostly Russian and Chinese) that will do the gun purging. A lot of US citizens are going to die when they go house to house here. Reports from the northeast say that Canadian troops and equipment have crossed the border as well.

* Just in the Cincinnati area, Gannett has taken over what used to be 2 competing dailies (one of which was a moderately right morning paper, the other a moderately left evening paper) and a dozen local weeklies; now they’re shaping the message all the time. In other places, they’ve purchased control of former Knight-Ridder leftist propaganda outlets, too, with little change in spin.

Ohhh, and what’s that big movie outfit based in Knoxville, TN that, just a decade ago was a dozen or so small family-owned theaters/exhibitors, and now is the biggest and engages in production and distribution. Regal?

“We are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence — on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day.” — John Fitzgerald Kennedy 1961 to the American Newspaper Publishers Association

There is very little of what the Obamanauts have done that I find reasonable, but please note the Middle East is a snake pit and a quagmire and all those other things that nobody has been able to parse very well. Maybe out of desperation some can find a certain logic in the administration’s approach. It will probably fail, but when all the opinion makers here and abroad continuously harp on U.S. support for strongmen like Mubarak as being deals with the devil and contrary to the democratic principles we want to promote, then they are threatened with an uprising, what alternative policy is there?

And, the left in this country is particularly vulnerable to the attraction of symbolic acts and unrealistic expectations. There is little wonder they hope for the best from the insurgents without really knowing who they are or what they stand for, but aren’t willing to take the risks to really find out or to take actions that would make a difference. That would be warlike, and, er, sort of Republican.

If King Hussein comes under pressure, we will see if the administration has any real strategy in the Middle East, and the guts to back it, or if all that has transpired was just floundering.

This is an ok post, but once again, the poster makes no suggestions or recommendations for how things could be done differently. Raising the issue and the threat is the easy part; saying how you would do things differently seems ifficult. Have Obama’s policies in the Middle East been inadequate and dithering? Sure. So tell us what should be done.

Obama and the “Arab Spring” regime changes and Syria [and most likely Jordon to come] all make sense once one realizes the President of the USA is an Islamist. BTW: Islam/Koran are blatantly antiAmerican Constitution that POTUS Barack Hussein Obama decietfully swore to defend/support.